ness."

Ali was forced to promise that he would not inquire further. He
hastened to buy a beautiful guitar, and impatiently awaited the hour
which should again reveal to him his earthly Paradise. It arrived. He
entered the garden, and was led to the arbour as he had been the day
before, though Maria did not go away, but remained at the entrance.
Gulhyndi met him much more splendidly attired than on the previous day.
According to the fashion of Persia, she appeared in a light gay velvet
garment, which hung loosely around her body, and was not confined by a
bodice. Her beautiful face was encircled with strings of genuine
pearls and precious stones; on her fingers she wore diamonds set in
silver, the Orientals not being permitted to wear gold rings. She had
green stockings, which showed the symmetry of her ancles, and on her
small feet were shoes embroidered with gold. Smiling, she said: "Do
not think, dear Ali, that I have chosen this dress from vanity. My
father, who loves pomp, has been with me, and I have not had time to
change it as I expected. I will leave you for a moment, and will be
with you immediately, for this attire is not sociable. I can scarcely
turn my head with the weight of these jewels, nor move my fingers with
these rings."

Having said these words, she went away, attended by Maria. Ali
followed her with his eyes; and though he wished he might see her in a
plain attire, which would rather display than conceal her graceful
form, yet he could not refrain, as she went away, from exclaiming, with
the poet; "How lovely is thy gait in shoes, thou daughter of princes!
Thy cheeks are lovely with gems, and thy neck with chains. Thine eyes
are as the eyes of doves, between thy tresses. Thy slender form is as
that of the palm-tree, and thy bosom is like doves. Oh! my dove in the
rock, show thy form again, and let me hear thy voice, for thy voice is
sweet, and thy form is lovely!"

It was not long before she returned in her black dress. How much more
beautiful did she look! On her partly veiled, swelling bosom, which
dazzled the eyes of Ali by its whiteness, hung a ruby, which was
blood-red with anger, at being surpassed by the redness of her lips. A
lily of silver was entwined in her hair. She took the guitar, saying:
"We must lose no time; you shall not bring it in vain; therefore, now
teach me."

Ali obeyed, and taught her the touch of the strings. How did he
tremble, when he had to touch